Pacific Power discusses wildfire mitigation plan in Salem

SALEM, Ore. — In an effort to prevent a catastrophic fire from happening locally, Pacific Power executives met with the Oregon Public Utility Commission Tuesday to discuss its wildfire mitigation plan.

Pacific Power said they want to increase weather monitoring and trimming vegetation around power lines.

They’re also making a plan to shut off power during extreme weather conditions as a last resort.

“One thing we’re trying to do through this process is to leverage some of the best industry practices and the lessons that we’ve learned throughout the industry to ensure that we can continue to provide safe and reliable power to the communities that we serve,” said David Lucas, Vice President of T&D Operations.

Local governments are also involved. A live-stream was available of the meeting. The company said it’s still developing plans and will have more information in the next two weeks.

Nicole Costantino is a reporter and weather forecaster for NBC5 News. She comes to us from Phoenix, Arizona where she graduated from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She also received a minor in Meteorology.

Before coming to NBC5 News Nicole was an anchor, weather forecaster and reporter at KAET in Phoenix, AZ. In college, she interned for CBS Evening News in New York City and the NBC4 Investigative Team in Los Angeles.

In her free time, you can find Nicole cheering on her Sun Devils and exploring the Pacific Northwest. Feel free to send story ideas and chocolate chip cookie recipes to her on Facebook (@NicoleCostantino) or Twitter (@NicCostantino).